


Forged in Steel

by IrishBabby



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, Battle, Brotherhood, Drunk Sex, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, I Was Drunk When I Wrote This, Leadership, Masturbation in Shower, Sexual Content, Shameless Smut, Shower Sex, Showers, Synths, Voyeurism, undeniable attraction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-10
Updated: 2016-11-03
Packaged: 2018-06-01 08:54:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6511465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IrishBabby/pseuds/IrishBabby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One Shot - Arthur Maxon and subordinate officer meet late at night by chance. What will they do...</p><p>Originally Titled: Hot and Cold</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hot and Cold

**Author's Note:**

> If you drink a bottle of Merlot while cat sitting, these kinds of stories might happen to you too.

Knight Hollis was eagerly awaiting a command from Paladin Danse. Her finger was cramping from hovering above the trigger. She was hoping the completion of this mission would award her the rank of Knight-Sergeant, a rare title, and something she had been striving for ever since Sarah Lyons had convinced her she was worth something in this damn military outfit. 

Sarah had since convinced her the East-Coast outfit needed her, and ever since Sarah’s death, Kinght Hollis had bravely fought under Elder Maxon’s command. Looking for some way to honor Sarah's death. Though, Elder Maxon rarely remembered her name, and often referred to her a Scribe. Knight Hollis accepted this disregard as a challenge, and today she was going to make sure Elder Maxon new who she was. 

She stood, ready at the vertibird mini gun, waiting for those mutants to exit their pretty little bunker. DC had become a distant memory to her, as Boston was full of enemies, there was always something for her to pick off while she was flying above the city.

“Stand Down, Knight,” came over her headset. Her heart sank. It wasn’t Paladin Danse, it was Lancer Captain Kells who gave the order. She knew there was no argument to be had. Knight Hollis lowered her weapon and ordered the lancer of the vertibird to move out. The soreness in her finger now began to radiate through out the rest of her body. 

* * *

 

_(Back at the Prydwen)_

“Sir, with all do respect I had those mutants in a trap. I was going to-“ Knight Hollis began. She was on the Prydwen’s deck, even though Captain Kells wasn’t angry with her actions, Knight Hollis knew something was going on and she was getting chewed out for the only reason that she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“I don’t care what you were going to do, you were given a direct order, and I do not need to give you a reason why.” Captain Kells told her.

“May I return tomorrow and kill any remaining scum?” Knight Hollis asked.

“You may not. Knight Hollis you are free from duty tonight, I recommend you rest and report for duty tomorrow we have supply runs to make to and from Diamond City. You will be escorting a scribe and initiate as their gun.” Kells ordered her.

“Understood sir!” Knight Hollis said, finishing her comment with a salute.

Hollis turned on her feet and exited the room. She was grinding her teeth, so much so that it began to hurt. She had been so patient, she had waited for the right opportunity, and tonight she had it! But it was taken from her, and she was now awaiting orders that involved babysitting a scribe who was ordered to purchase scrap metals and adhesive.

Her Elder would never know who she was.

She wanted to kick herself. Somehow she thought she would be a Sentinel by now, just like Sarah. Hollis knew even Sarah would be disappointed. The Brotherhood required soldiers who took action.

“If Kells would give me a fucking chance…” she mumbled under her breath.

Lyra Hollis occupied her quarters for several hours. She had removed her armor and settled in on the bottom bunk for the night. But the noises of the Prydwen were echoing in her head and it seemed the wind that spun through her propellers was only trying to keep her awake. But she knew she was only frustrated from today, if it had gone better, she wouldn’t be blaming this magnificent ship for her lack of sleep. 

She pushed the blankets off of her body. The cool air felt nice. 

But It didn’t help. 

Then she tossed, and turned.

Nothing was helping.

Finally, out of frustration, Lyra grabbed her shower kit, a fresh towel and made her way down the hall in the middle of the night.

She loved the way the Prydwen sounded when everyone was quiet. The hum of the ship was loud, but almost magnetic. Sometimes a strong gust of wind would shake the walls and Lyra would tell Prydwen not to panic, and that she was strong. Being here in Boston was something she was grateful for, aboard this ship... it was special to say the least. 

Lyra entered the community showers. At this hour, they were empty, and she was ecstatic. Being reclusive by nature she chose the shower at the very end, furthest from the entrance. And began to relax at the feeling of finally being alone. The last stall often produced the hottest water because it shared a wall with the private bathroom of Elder Maxon. The door leading to his private bathroom was ajar, but the room was pitch black and silent, Lyra knew it was empty.

So in a state of anxiety from her day, she instructed the shower to produce the hottest water it could, hoping the heat would settle her muscles.

And it did, the moment the hot water wet her black hair, she new that this was what she needed. The water was hotter than ever before and the steam rose around her like it was trying to comfort her from a poor day. She lathered her bar of soap and took time to clean every inch of her body.

The pre-war soap was filled with fragrances that Lyra had never smelled before she had purchased the soap. Sandalwood and Rose it was called, the suds ran down her shoulders, pouring over her taught breasts and eventually finding their way to the drain.

Lyra rinsed herself and found that the water had not yet run out of heat like it usually did by this time. So she took extra care to rinse her hair, and body. This time her hands danced ever so lightly across her nipples that they became erect without much effort.

The idea sunk into Lyra’s head like a stone. The stress, the shower, frustration, she new what kind of release she needed… with the rose teasing her senses, and the vibration of the Prydwen, Lyra leaned back against the shower wall, spreading her legs, allowing her fingers and the water to fall right between her legs.

A moan escaped her lips before she could even tell herself to be quiet.

* * *

This day for the Brotherhood had been a difficult one. Arthur Maxon received word that Knight Captain Colvin of the Citadel had been killed. Arthur had once treated him as a friend, it seemed that anyone that was his friend was due an eventual death at a young age. This made him question how soon he would meet his own. 

And in a poor choice of command, Elder Maxon had ordered that all Knights and Paladin’s return to the Prydwen immidiately. Arthur knew he was trying to protect them in some way, but many had scrutinized his command, and if he wanted to keep their respect he was going to have to continue missions within the Commonwealth. This lapse in judgment couldn’t happen again. The death of one soldier can't keep him from his responsibilities. 

As a punishment, Arthur saw it fit that he take the coldest of cold showers. It was late, he had dismissed his advisors, and whiskey was no longer doing the trick.

Arthur took a bottle with him to the shower. He set aside his towel and opened the door to the community quarters so that the fan could find its way into the room, only adding to the chill of the shower he took.

When he couldn’t take it anymore, Arthur shut off the water and wrapped his towel around his waist. His second bottle of whiskey was untouched.

He sat down on the installed bench and listened to the Prydwen hum. This was his ship, his mission, and he would make his leaders proud. Arthur was still sitting there when half the bottle had disappeared and the automatic lights shut off from their timer.

The dark was even more chilling than the air that flowed through the open door. He took a deep breath, trying to will himself to stand and step out of his self-pity.

_Then she walked in._

All he could do was freeze.

He recognized her, Knight Hollis, he’d often forgotten her name, but never forgot how large her breasts were. He distinctly remembered seeing her in her issued attire; he would never forget how the zipper was trying to pull itself apart at the size of her breasts. The way she fit that suit should’ve been a crime.

He watched her pull down the zipper and enjoyed how the suit thanked her for its release. Her breasts sprang from the fabric as if they too hated how they were suffocated. He watched as she stepped out of her suit, bending over so that her foot could be freed from the snug fabric as well, giving him a view that he would keep forever.

Being so young, Arthur had been interested in many women, but finding the time to pursue them all was what evaded him. He never had time for girls or women since big things had been expected of him since he was ten.

Maxon realized they must have something in common, she was young for a Knight, her body gave her away. Her hair was dark and long, it cascaded over her shoulders in a beautiful way, and Maxon realized, he thought she was beautiful. The whiskey didn't let him remember that watching her like this was inappropriate. 

He watched her soak herself and revel in the steam around her. He eagerly watched her handle the soap, hoping that her small ministrations would cause her to do other things… but instead he settled for watching the bubbles run over her clean ass, or between her thighs.

He watched her rinse off, making sure her body was rid of soap, he noticed his nostrils were flaring, trying to acquire more of this soft scent. He knew she would next reach for the knobs to switch off the shower. She would towel off, dress, and be gone before his eyes.

_His eyes widened._

She had changed her mind, her legs were now spread and the soap had been replaced by her nimble fingers, and he watched in awe as the woman let out the softest, most arousing moan.

He felt his hardness press against the rough fabric of the towel.

She had thrown her head back, one hand massaging her breast, the other making small but quick circles between her thighs. He could occasionally see the soft pink skin she was rubbing, she moaned like she was aching, egging herself on to reach satisfaction. He found it so arousing watching this woman; she had no idea he was there. His one free hand slipped underneath his towel and began to tug at his straining member.

* * *

  
God she was so wet now. Her fingers did okay at their work, but she only wished for something more. She pinched at her nipples, usually that did the trick, she pulled them, twisted them, she bit her lip, trying to keep herself quiet.

She slipped two fingers inside her, finally feeling a sense of knotting in her stomach. The feeling was incredible; she rocked her hips back and forth. She imagined the tongue of her Commanding Officer, the tongue of Paladin Danse, and finally, the tongue of Elder Maxon, the fantasy sent her nerve endings into overdrive. She imagined his scarred face buried between her legs, unwilling to let her thighs move, for some reason she imagined him gentle, yet unrelenting. She was unsure why her Elder’s face brought her such excitement, but she didn’t ask many questions when her breathing became labored.

* * *

The moment she let out a breathy moan, he thought he might lose it; she was making enough noise that he could be a little more forceful with his own fist and enjoy himself. He’d quietly spit in his hand to compensate for the shower, which had dried his skin. He almost thought she’d heard him then, but the shower and the noises from her mouth and between her legs drowned him out. She didn’t even hear when his towel had fallen to the floor, he had stood up and leaned himself against the wall, better angling himself to see all of her through the doorway.

The only thing he hadn’t expected was the light sensor becoming aware of his adjustment. Letting them flicker on, leaving him exposed right before her.

Though the lights were on, her eyelids were lowered enough that she hadn’t noticed… yet.

He could flee and leave her to finish, or she would run back to her bunker in embarrassment, or he could continue his actions, and let her decide if she wanted to flee or not.

* * *

She was so close, so, so close. That was until she had noticed the lights were on in the executive bathroom. Her fingers slowed, and her heart quickened as she saw the man who was holding his erect cock, the very man she had been fantasizing about.

She let her fingers continue as she looked at nothing but his hand moving up and down. He had been pleasing himself to her image for quite some time now, that turned her on, it elected a growl from the bottom of her very stomach, making her begin to see stars.

She let herself make more noises now, not only because she wanted him to hear them, but also because she needed to let them escape. She noticed when he moved closer to the doorframe, still working frantically on his own cock. She could see the scar on his face, the scar that belonged to soldier that she admired so much.

* * *

  
He noticed when her breathing became labored, it had sent a feeling all the way to his feet. She had chosen to continue their game, and even teasing him by locking eyes with him once and a while. He could tell she liked staring at him from the waist down. Her eyes had been glued to what his hand was doing, but even his own fingers were growing tired, he knew hers must be as well.

His decision to leave his shower came from her eager cries. She was frantically moving her tired hand, her hips trying to do most of the work, so out of sympathy, and need to see this girl cum, he took two steps forward, dropped to his knees. She made no movement to protest as he leaned in and let his tongue help her.

She cried out.

He hadn’t heard her do that yet.

Her hands were instantly in his hair, pulling him closer, begging him to please her. He let his own fingers take over, and before he had a chance to even get tired, she came, and he couldn't get enough of her. She had pulled his hair, cried out in ecstasy, and let a silky warm fluid flow right over his tongue, which was eagerly licked away.

He stood and shut the shower off.

The silence made her breathing become an echo. He could hear her, she wanted him, he wanted her.

He lifted her against the wall of her shower stall, her legs wrapped around him eagerly, and she leaned in to kiss him. His return of the kiss surpised her. It was eager and starved, and he only deepened the kiss. The thought of her tasting herself on his face only made him thrust into her that much harder.

She cried out again.

Her arms reached up, grabbing the top of the shower to support herself, while he was given full permission to pound away at her awaiting core. One of his hands grabbed a handful of ass while the other played with her breasts just as he has watched her do from the shadows. This time, he came back to her lips to kiss her.

She was wet and so warm, he had never felt a woman so tight around him before, but then again, he had never done something so arousing before. This was truly erotic to him, he heard her whisper his name.

_“Arthur…”_

Her eyes had rolled back into her head, she was panting, her breasts heaving with every breath. It seemed that every time he thrust into her pieces of her gave way… until he felt that incredible moment where she tightened around him. He sank into her deeply, still keeping a pace of his own while she squirmed and moaned underneath him. Her nails were digging into his back, he could see the white in her eyes, and when she said _“Elder…”_ in her breathy labored moan, he spilled into her.

For a minute, he held her against that wall, both of them breathing, and basking in one another. He slipped out of her, the feeling of her around him was something he’d never forget. He put their foreheads together, they both kissed in-between deep breaths.

Lyra wrapped a towel around herself and gathered her things. She watched as her Elder still looked completely satisfied, yet shocked at what had just transpired. She let her fingers trail across his abdomen, watching his lower half twitch at her command. She walked away from him, their eyes locked for a moment. 

That look told her that he would not forget who she was.

She smiled at him before she exited the community showers and walked down the hall in nothing but a towel and smile that couldn’t be wider.


	2. Blood and Sweat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a longer part two, more plot than porn. But porn none the less.

Where the synths had come from, no one was sure. The attack had come at dawn and surprised those at the airport who were still in their beds.

Reinforcements had arrived from the Prydwen swiftly, and now men in Power Armor were doing their best to push back the damn abominations. Even Elder Maxson was fighting beside his fellow soldiers - proving that he was their leader for a reason, and that he was a strong fighter. He had even ripped apart a synth using just the strength from his power armor to prove he could do so.

The Institute was mistaken if they thought they could take the Brotherhood on their own turf. 

After an hour Maxson had managed push the synths further and further out until the only scum left had held themselves up in the nearby parking structure. He ordered the nearest Paladin to fetch an RPG while he and several other soldiers continued to fire at anything that dared show it's plastic head.

* * *

Lyra had managed to sustain no injuries but there were many others who hadn't been so lucky. Under fire, Lyra had removed a dead comrade from their power armor suit and taken it for her own. Only as temporary protection to assist in the push back of the enemy. If they didn't prove their strength now, the Institute was only going to come back, and come back harder.

Lyra pushed forward, her rifle traded for a much more powerful gatling gun that now better suited her armor. It had been awhile since she'd fought without the advantage of a vertibird. The ground was solid, but treacherous. At least this would give the Brotherhood something to test their training on.

In the advance forward, Lyra and several soldiers, and Elder Maxson himself had pushed the synths back to the nearby parking structure. It seemed like they were going to kill every last one of them.

That's when she saw it. _That flurry of a blur._

She'd only heard stories of how cunning a courser could be, but when she saw it heading straight for the Elder, she knew this attack had more to do with just an attack on the base... they were looking for the Elder all along.

She couldn't warn them... the damn comms in this suit were fried.  
  
She couldn't risk the spray of the gatling, the chance to hit fellow soldiers was too high. If she was going to get between that courser and the first line of defense, she was going to have to risk her life.

Lyra lunged forward, she ran until she was between the parking structure and several power suits who were still firing at the enemy, her risk was her own, and she knew that. She kept her eyes focused on what she couldn't see, if she aimed for the waist she could destroy the stealth boy long enough for the rest of the Brotherhood to be aware of the snake in their presence.

Several bullets dinged off her armor. So as an instinct she dove, but not before she was close enough to take the courser with her.

* * *

 

Arthur Maxson had been upset that day. When he found out there had been a ground attack, he was ready to prematurely fire up Liberty Prime and march all the way to the Institutes doorstep. But unfortunately, they had yet to figure out where that was.

So instead he wanted to suit up, and join the forces below. A bit of good practice would do well for him and his troops. So why not have a little fun.

Then he was disappointed again when it was almost too easy to push the synths back. It was almost like they weren't really trying, and now standing out in the open, he began to feel vulnerable.

He became irritated again when a thoughtless soldier made his way in front of their range of fire. They refused to respond to any of his attempts at communication, instead they insisted on being in the way.

Maxson watched as the soldier dove to the ground, they looked like they had been hit from enemy fire, although he nor the soldiers around him would've been surprised if that had been the case. It wasn't until they saw the scuffle, the movement... and then the dark coat of an Institute courser.

Maxson knew immediately the target had been him all along. Why wasn't he surprised.

* * *

 

Lyra could feel the courser underneath the armor, fighting against it's weight. But to her surprise the courser was strong, and with a few good maneuvers it was free.

Lyra reached for it, feeling something... feeling... the stealth boy.

With one squeeze from her power fist the box was in shambles, and the courser now exposed.

The synths in the structure had only been covering the coursers path, and doing whatever they could to keep the Brotherhoods eyes focused on that parking structure.

The courser turned to quickly try to act on his target, but several other Brotherhood soldiers had advanced forward, Elder Masxon was hidden behind many sets of power armor, the courser could try, but it's success was unlikely.

More heavy fire came from the parking structure now, trying to aid the courser, but Maxson had been delivered the RPG he had asked for, and with plenty of cover, he fired, not one but two grenades into the opening of the structure.

Lyra ducked and covered her head once they began to fire at the courser, she could hear a faint 'grenade' over her shoulder she moved as quickly as she could before the blast overtook the sight of the courser, leaving it in a heap of metal and earth. Lyra got to her feet and still had the strength to push forward with the rest of her comrades. It looks like this was going to be their final advance, the parking structure would be cleared before noon.

When they entered the structure, it was evident that the grenades had done some damage on the first floor by igniting the engine of a nearby car. Lyra and two other soldiers pushed through the blast remnants to find a couple seekers above them. One of them got a lucky shot and killed the soldier to Lyra's right, everyone else quickly took cover and fired at the synths above them.

Lyra was only able to notice for a second that the soldier that regained her right flank was Elder Maxson himself.

She could feel her cheeks flush and her heart flutter from the Elder being so close to her again. Even though heaps of metal stood between them, Lyra couldn't help but feel warm being so close to him.

This moment of weakness was what probably caused the next few string of events, but Lyra had no way of knowing how long she had hesitated for.

It had been long enough that bullets had stopped firing. The two synths above them had been killed, but as the smoke cleared, Lyra had missed the Eradicator looming over them. It was holding a plasma rifle, one of those big fuckers, Lyra only hoped there were enough of them left to take the synth down.

At least then... some of them could still make it out of here.

She only had time to make one decision when the synth raised it's weapon. Lyra could tell that the others had seen him, but this synth was going to get the first shot.

One last attempt to complete it's mission.

Lyra threw herself to her right, she had been just quick enough to absorb the blast and protect the Elder.

Then everything went black.

* * *

 

[Next Day]

 

"So how is Knight Hollis?" the Elder asked.

"She is recovering well. The plasma left some deep scarring, but we managed to save her arm. If she hadn't stolen that armor she'd be dead and you'd be the one with a few burns, Elder."

"Understood. Thank you for reminding me." the Elder said. "See that she is taken care of."

"Of course, Elder."

Arthur Maxson had once again had a difficult day. The paperwork on his desk was growing and he had yet to even look at it. The soldiers who died had to be taken care of, and their bodies returned to DC. Proctor Ingram wanted to talk to him about obtaining caps for repairs on the salvageable power armor. And on top of it, he didn't even know where they could retaliate. The cancer of the Commonwealth was beating him, and it was beginning to wear him down.

The one thing that was currently occupying the Elder's thoughts was that girl laying in the recovery bay. Elder Maxson himself had removed her helmet and pulled her from the wreckage. After six months, he still hadn't forgotten her name and since then visited her and kept an eye on her care. Although he was being careful about it, Captain Kells had insinuated that she be demoted for stealing another Knights Power Armor. Arthur had said he'd think about it.

Arthur could think back to that day and remember how effortlessly she jumped in front of him. But then he couldn't stop thinking about how that night in the showers, she had locked eyes with him and kept going. She wasn't afraid of dying, or being shy in front of him. If he was being honest he wouldn't ignore the fact that Knight Lyra Hollis had been occupying his dreams for the last six months. To have her step in front of him to save his life wasn't going to help his thoughts. Hollis was beautiful, that had always been true, but that body of hers was constantly haunting his dreams. Maxson could smell her soap through out the Prydwen, passing her in the halls was agony, seeing her in briefing was torture.

"Sir hows it coming in mechanics? Did you speak with Proctor Ingram?" Captain Kells had finally found him hiding in the halls.

"I was on my way to speak with her right now." Maxson said.

"What did you decide is the proper course of action?" Kells asked.

"We'll repair the armor. As well as the one Hollis borrowed. With her bravery, I think she's earned it." Maxson said.

Maxson could see Kells wanted to disagree with him. But he left before it could be a problem. Maxson left to visit Ingram, and informed her that Hollis should receive the armor she stole. Ingram gave him a more confused look than Kells had, but again, Maxson acted as though he didn't care. Maxson supposed he wanted to reward her somehow. He couldn't deny that woman what she'd done for him. The armor was the least he could do. 

* * *

[Five Weeks Later] 

Lyra Hollis had been discharged from the med bay, awarded her own power armor, and found herself within her usual Brotherhood life. She returned to her bunk, and settled to listening to the Prydwen night after night while she sang her sweet lullaby. 

It wasn't long before Lyra found herself taking late showers trying to help her get to sleep. The attack seemed to follow her, and every bit of blood shed that day had it's own way of haunting her. Not only had her life slipped away from her, but when she regained consciousness, she remembered not being able to feel her arm. She remembered how much blood there was - she remembered seeing it on Maxson's face.

Lyra shut off the water from her shower, toweled off, and dressed in a cut up tshirt and her fatigues. The door leading to the Elder's showers was ajar, and Lyra found herself peering into the darkness looking for any sign of him. Feeling brave, she stepped inside and jumped at the automated lights. She smiled for a moment before touching the door adjacent to his quarters. Her Elder was on the other side of these doors, probably sleeping soundly. Lyra could only lean against the nearby wall and allow herself to feel jealousy. 

But the heavy swing of the metal door was hard to ignore. Lyra jumped once more, startled, she clutched her hand to her chest. Her heart was racing, and not only from being startled, but from being face to face with her Elder once more... in the showers where they had once shared a secret.

"I-"

"I saw the lights come on. I figured some scribe was trying to break the rules." he said sternly.

There was silence between them for a moment.

"I just couldn't sleep, sorry if I kept you from your rest, Elder." Lyra nodded, looked at the floor and turned to leave.

"Hollis!" he said.

Lyra stopped in her tracks. She turned around to see him holding up a half empty bottle of liquor.

"This helps me sleep." he said cooly. 

Lyra looked at the bottle and then back at him. The poor man had dark circles under his eyes, and a frown that looked like it was permanent. 

"Mind if I join you then...  - Sir?" she added at the end.

Maxson only nodded at her comment. As he turned away she followed him into his small quarters. It was a lot smaller than she had imagined, but your own quarters in a cramped airship with a private shower was more than anyone had, so Lyra found it comfortable.

She took a glass that had been held out to her, it was now filled with that spiced liquid she could only sip without pursing her lips. Lyra quietly sipped her drink anyway and eyed the pile of paperwork on the table.

He noticed.

"From the attack." he said gesturing to the paper. "There's a lot to write home about. A lot to document... sign."

"Sign what exactly?" she asked.

"Death certificates. Mostly." he said. "A lot of talk about how to keep it from happening again."

"Anything promising?" Lyra asked.

Maxson let out a small laugh, but the darkness never left his eyes. "If only we knew where the damn institute was hiding... then maybe..." 

Lyra watched his anger rise. She knew it wasn't the right question to ask.

"Maybe... THIS DAMN CANCER COULD BE CUT OUT!"

The glass in Maxson's hand was shattered under his weight. The sting from the cut, took him away from his thought and Lyra didn't know whether to cower and run, or to stay silent until she was dismissed.

He held up his hand, Lyra watched the blood trickled down his forearm, mimicking the veins in his arm, creating patterns and lines.

Lyra took the towel she had in her arms from her shower and quickly wrapped it around the wound. It was instinctive, even though he scared her.

He was responsive to her touch, obviously leaning into her, his eyes were heavy lidded, she could smell the alcohol on his breath... She only now realized what hell he lived through on a daily basis. She was his age and angry about her lack of promotions, but he was the Elder... and had been for quite some time. She could only begin to fathom all his responsibilities for the last ten years. And if he couldn't sleep after all this... she understood.

"Here, sit down." Lyra said, "Let me see."

Arthur lazily took a seat in the chair at his feet. He rested his elbow on the table while she took the seat next to him. Lyra's confidence was now focused on the wound in his hand. This was something she could take care of. She removed the towel to see one shard of glass stuck in his hand. With nimble fingers she removed it, Maxson made no sound. She took the cap off a nearby vodka bottle and splashed some of the alcohol into his hand, that time he tensed.

She didn't dare to look him directly in the eyes. Even she could see through that furrowed brow that more pained him then just his hand. The empty bottles of liquor, the untouched bed... these were all signs that only made her understand their night together seven months ago. 

Her Elder was lonely. So lonely, tired, and nearly broken from his soul being forged in eternal steel... _what a curse that was._

Lyra took a near by first aid kit off the wall and knelt before him, delicately cleaning the area before wrapping it in a clean bandage. Her Elder still said nothing. 

"Can I help you somehow?" she asked quietly gently applying pressure to his hand. 

"I-" he grumbled, "I don't know."

"This all looks very overwhelming, and... I know your angry with the institute. And the Brotherhoods inability to locate them."

"Why didn't you ever say anything about what happened?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" she asked, blushing, only hoping his question had to do with the battle.

"All those months ago. You never said a word to anyone, I would have known if you had mentioned it to anyone on the ship."

 _"Oh,_ " she blushed. Lyra got the feeling he didn't exactly want to discuss work. "I supposed it had to do with respect." she told him. "I would imagine the gossip and scrutiny wouldn't have been welcomed by you."

"So you kept it a secret?" he asked.

"Well, our secret, yes. It's still mine, it's still yours. I'm fine with that."

"And that didn't have anything to do with you taking that plasma shot for me?" he asked.

"I would have jumped in front of a gun for you regardless of what had transpired prior to that day." Lyra's hand's were still wrapped around his bandaged hand. "You're our leader, we survived that day because of you. And we'll survive more because you're still alive. And one day the Commonwealth will be rid of institute technology, and that will be your doing. You don't just let someone who's going to accomplish all that die."

Lyra felt his stance soften. She hadn't actually realized how tense he still was since breaking the glass until he relaxed before her now. She took the opportunity move her hands so that they were sitting in a more comforting manner. One of her hands held his wrist, while the other wrapped her fingers around his.

"I was just doing my duty." she said quietly. 

"I hope the armor will suffice as a thank you." he said.

Lyra smiled at him, looking into his eyes this time. He seemed to like the way she looked when she was happy.

"Of course it will. I spent all afternoon with Proctor Ingram working on repairs. Its nice to have something to do with my hands." Lyra said noticing she had been touching him for a long time, and pulled away her grasp. 

"How's your arm?" he asked before another awkward silence could befall them.

Lyra gingerly touched her shoulder, and made a face. "It hurts, a lot. But I can move it, and my fingers. So I'd say it was a job well done. Really saving my arm was thank you enough, the armor was a nice surprise though."

Lyra thought for a moment she detected a smile. Or a smirk, but before she could decide it was gone.

Lyra stood up, the Elder quickly rose from his chair, and they both stood there for a moment, very awkwardly. Lyra's face was going to flush again, and so she excused herself.

"I guess I'll go." she said quickly with an awkward laugh at the end. 

She picked up her things, and was ready to slip out back through the showers when everything became a little clearer in her head.

Lyra hadn't forgotten about that night they shared, how willing and needy they both had been. Lyra had almost convinced herself it had all been a dream. But here she was, in his quarters, he had offered her a drink, asked about her well being, and brought up what had happened between them. 

She quickly realized Elder Maxson cared enough to know what injuries she had sustained, and to later reward her with a power armor many argued she should have been punished for taking.

All these thoughts hit her at once. Lyra just knew she was afraid. 

"Screw it." she mumbled as she dropped her things to the floor and came stomping back towards him. She snaked her arms over his muscular chest and around his neck pulling him towards her - then she kissed him.

His hands responded by settling on the small of her back so that she would arch into him in a way that he liked. He was taller than her, and he liked leaning over her so that she fit against the entire length of his body, It was the best way to ensure maximum contact between them.

Lyra didn't even care about his hands, she leaned into him instinctively, nipping and biting at his lip, while her tongue demanded entrance. She loved the way they both sounded when she would break away to steal a breath. He sounded as though he was signing of relief every time she came back for more. That's what they were, they were needy people, relieved they were back in each other's arms.

His good hand became tangled in her hair that was still slightly damp from the steam in the shower. That same soap was wafting between them and it didn't help that Arthur had been dreaming about that scent for months now. He had been able to smell it since she'd taken the glass of whiskey from his hand, and to have Lyra kneeling before him, touching him nearly drove him mad. He had almost been relieved when she had excused herself... _almost._

Arthur was more than glad that she had stayed when she slipped the worn cotton t-shirt over her head. The sight of her free breasts and milky white skin made his mouth run dry. She was softer than he remembered, delicate even, he wasn't sure how she could be this soft while he sported callouses all over his hands. 

She still couldn't believe it. Kissing him like this... again. They were like two waves crashing against each other, stopping when her back became pressed against the cold steel of his bedroom wall. She managed to lift his shirt over his head before he picked her up and had her pinned against the cold steel. She hissed at him, feeling comfortable now knowing he wanted this as much as she did. Her fingers scratched their way down the front of his chest, his hair tickled her palms and made her moan into his mouth. Both his hands were digging into hips. Pulling her closer, unwilling to let her leave. Picking her up by the thighs, he carried her over to his bed adorned with nothing more than a pillow and a blanket no different than the one she kept on her cot. Next he reached for the top button to her pants, careful to undo them and pull them off her legs as slowly as he could. _Teasing her._ Now she was wearing only a pair of black panties. ' _Those are next to go'_ he told himself.

His speed was agonizing to her. Her quickened breathing only bated him to go slower. But soon he found her nimble fingers playing at his own trousers, pulling them open before he could even hook his thumbs around her underwear. He expected her to tease him, but she surprised him by ridding him of his pants and underwear in one swift movement. He was hanging out in the open for her, and with his pants around his ankles, he watched as she found something to do with her hands other than work on her power armor. 

He let out several noises that told her that he had needed this more than her, and it seemed like he had needed this for quite some time. He was so hard in her palm, Lyra teased him back by placing him in her mouth, she felt him thrust his hips forward, his hands tangled in her hair and she could only smile at the sounds he was making now. Lyra could have ruled the Brotherhood of Steel with her mouth if she'd ever wanted to. This man would do anything for her to keep going, and so she did. 

She didn't have to wait long before his grip tightened and she tasted salt. He was panting, and shaking. His legs were trembling, he had to push Lyra back so that he could lay next to her in the small bed. Two people fit well if they didn't mind losing a little personal space, and it seemed that they both favored it this way. Arthur wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close into another kiss. Lyra folded into him, and he took this opportunity to finally make his way into panties. His flat palm teased all the way down her stomach until they found their target. Lyra gasped and arched into him once more. Placing her hips at and easily accessible angle for him to continue. 

First he slid one finger in her, and then a second as soon as he felt how wet she was. She began to mewl against his chest, her breathing was heavy and sexy. He loved watched her eyelids drop lower and lower every time he crooked his fingers or sped up. When his fingers took a break to circle her clit, she had to work hard to keep from waking the whole ship. Her nails dug into him, her toes pointed, and she began to beg _'don't stop, please, don't stop...'_

_He didn't._

She came against him hard and fast. Biting her bottom lip hard enough that she drew a little blood.

This time their lips met again, and she found herself underneath him. Without his lips ever leaving hers, she felt him settle between her thighs and slowly push into her. He was already for more, and so was she. But this time, instead of some rushed quickie in the shower, or a pent up release, they decided to take their time. Lyra wrapped her legs around him while he gently rocked against her, bringing both of them back to reality.

They pulled away and locked eyes long enough for Lyra to catch a smile that had found its way to his lips. 

Lyra shifted to sit up, and pulled away just enough so that Arthur would lean back into a sitting position. She climbed on top of him then, happy to still wrap herself around him, but giving him a little less work to do. From there, Lyra found her rhythm rocking against him, grinding sensitive nub against his strong body. His hands had handfuls of her ass, helping her along with each thrust. 

The occasional _"fuck"_ could be heard from Arthurs mouth. This made her smile. Every time he made a noise, every groan, every _'damn.'_  

 _"Arthur..."_ was what she whispered back to him. _"Oh.. Arthur..."_

She could tell that saying his name changed something in him. His arms helped kick their pace into high gear, while she kept moaning his name into his ear.

 _"You're gonna make me cum Arthur..."_ she said. And he went even faster.

"Kiss me.." she begged.

Arthur kissed her. He felt her tense and slow his pace. She was having her orgasm, and the kiss was to keep her quiet. Even with the kiss, she was still pretty audible, mostly because Arthur was close enough to his own release that he didn't want to chase after it again, this meant she had to take several more deep thrusts while her body was crying out from sensitivity. She raked her nails down his back and sank her teeth into his shoulder while he gave a few more quick thrusts before grabbing her hips so tightly she knew they would bruise. He was spilling inside of her, and all he could do was pant from exhaustion. 

To her surprise, Arthur gestured for her to lay back down next to him while he rested his eyes. He even looped his arm around her midsection while he drifted into sleep. Lyra was wide awake however, still in disbelief this had happened for the second time. But she couldn't help but feel a little honored that he hadn't just asked her to leave. 

Her fingers found their way into his, as she pulled the small blanket over the two of them. Perhaps the morning would be a little awkward, but she couldn't help but feel like she had actually helped him. After all, he was sleeping - who knew how many days those dark circles could account for. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Like I said, Merlot.


End file.
